1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a resist film baking apparatus and a resist film baking method and in particular, to an apparatus and a method for baking a resist film formed on a surface of a glass substrate or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the liquid crystal display apparatus production procedure includes a photoresist (hereinafter, referred to as a resist) application step where a resist film formed on a glass substrate is baked by a resist film baking apparatus.
This conventional resist film baking apparatus, as shown in FIG. 4, includes a heater 8 arranged inside the apparatus, an absorption groove 9 at the end of a contact plane 2A with which a glass substrate 5 is in contact, and lift pins 10 for separating the glass substrate 5 from the contact plane 2A and receiving the glass substrate 5. The contact plane 2A can be set to a desired temperature by the heater 8.
However, in the aforementioned conventional resist film baking apparatus having the absorption groove and the lift pins on the contact plane, the temperature distribution cannot be uniform because of the absorption groove and the lift pins, changing the resist film thickness. This deteriorates the element formation pattern accuracy, causing display irregularities in the liquid crystal display apparatus. Moreover, sliding of the lift pins for receiving and separating a glass substrate generates contaminants which adhere to the substrate, causing display irregularities.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a resist film baking apparatus and a resist film baking method capable of uniformly heating an entire substrate without causing contaminants.
The resist film baking apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a substrate placing block which can be deformed and on which a substrate having a resist film is placed; a baking plate having an inner void; and a temperature regulator connected to the baking plate so as to circulate a temperature regulating liquid in the inner void. The substrate placing block can be made from a flexible metal or synthetic resin. The substrate placing block is made from a polyimide resin or silicon rubber. Moreover, as the temperature regulating liquid, pure water or diethylene glycol is used.
The resin film baking method according to the present invention performs baking of a resist film formed on a substrate surface using the aforementioned resist film baking apparatus.